Hydraulic ram



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA L. GATCHEL, OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

HYDRAULIC RAM.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 5,052, dated April 10, 1847.

' well, a spring, or other reservoir of pure water that issituated below the bevel of the run water that actuated the ram, and the parts are so arranged that there is not any possibility of the accidental'intermiu gling of the two portions of water with each other, an accident to which most of the rams as heretofore constructed, are more or less liable. I have also made improvements in the manner of constructing the impetus valve through which the waste water is to be discharged, by so constructing it as that the openings in it through which the water is to pass may be regulated in size so as to gage the quantity, and thereby to adapt it to the varying force of that from the run; by which means the action of the valve is greatly improved, and it will always fall at the right time without its being necessary to apply the action of a spiral, or other spring to force it down. I also cause this valve to make a partial revolution every time that it rises, in consequence of which it will in falling, assume a new position on its seat, and will be made to wear equally, and always to bed itself correctly.

In the accompanying drawing Figure l, is a longitudinal section through a portion of the tube or pipe along which that portion of the run water is to pass that is to actuate the instrument, and through those parts of the ram in which my improvements are embraced; and Fig. 2, is a transverse section thereof in the line of Fig. l.

A, A, is the pipe for the conveyance ofthe run water to the impetus valve B; which is contained within the chamber C, as in other machines for a like purpose.

D, D, is what I will denominate the dia-l phragm chamber, into which the pure water is to be raised from a well, or spring. E, is a pipe, or tube which is to lead from the upper part of the diaphragm chamber into the well, spring," or other reservoir of vpure water. This pipe is furnished at F, withv a valve opening upward, to retain the waterl that has been raised. G, G, is a flexible diaphragm of 'india-rubber cloth, or other sultable material that is loosely stretched over the lower opening of the diaphragm chamber, so that it is ycapable of rising and falling tothe necessary distance to enable 1t to operate in raising the pure water.

Upon the middle of this diaphragm weightsl H, H, are to be placed, which weights must be such as will by their gravity sufice to raise the water through thev pipe E, andl this will, of course, depend upon the height and diameter of the column to be raised.

I, represents a cylinder of wood Which may rest on the weights H, H, and is intended merely as a guide within the chamber D. Below the chamber D, there is a corresponding enlargement D, D, of the pipe A serving as a seat to said chamber, and allowing free ino-tion to the diaphragm.

J, is the air vessel which surmounts the chamber D, and with which it communicates by means of a valve K, opening upward.

L, L, is the ascending pipe along which the pure water fromr the air vessel is to be elevated.

In Fig. 3, I have shown the impetus valve B, drawn to a larger scale than in Fig. 1; and in Fig. 4, I have shown the under side of it. Through its outer rim it has four,'or any other preferred number of holes a, a, drilled, to admit the escape of a portion of waste water, which portion it is of much importance to be able to regulate according to the varying power of the stream from which the impulse is to be derived. Below the valve insert a thin plate of metal 5 b, having holes drilled through it corresponding with the holes a., a, in the valve rim. The plate b, is held in place by means of a screw c, at its center, thus admitting of the turning of the plate around so as to cover the holes a., a, to any desired extent, and, of course regulating the quantity of water that will pass through them, a regulation which renders the action of'a spring upon the stem B', of the valve unnecessary. To cause this valve to rotate to a short distance every time that it rises, I drill 'the holes a,

obliquely through it, as shown by the dotted cessation .of the impulse, the Weight H, H,A Will force down the diaphragm, and a freshv supply of pure Water Will pass up .the ipe E, into the diaphragm chamber. It Wi l be manifest that a Weighted piston fitted nicely to its cylinder might be substituted for the eXible diaphragm, but its cost, and its liability to friction Will probably preclude its being used.

Having thus fully described the nature of my improvements in the hydraulic ram, and shown the operation of the same, what claim therein as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. The employment of the Weighted elastic diaphragm G, G, in combination with the descending pipe E, leading down into a Well or other reservoir of pure Water from which a portion will be raised at every impulse of the ram. I do not claim the use of a flexible Vdiaphiagm in apparatus for raising Water;

but I do claim it as making a part of the combination necessary to the raising, and the preserving unmixed, of the Pure Water under the arrangement setforth. y

2. I also, claim, in combination, the particular manner of constructing the impulse valve, with the regulating plate l), and the holes c, bored obliquely through the rim of the valve, in the manner and for 'the purpose setl forth.

JOSHUA L. GrATCHEL.`

Vitnesses Trios. P. JONES, LEML. IVILLIAMS. 

